Zemura Hopes For A Swift Resolution Of SRC, ZIFA Impasse
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England-based Warriors wingback Jordan Zemura has added his voice to growing calls for the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) and the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) to resolve their differences so that Zimbabwe returns to international football.
Zimbabwe was suspended from international football by FIFA due to “third party interference” after the Gerald Mlotshwa-led SRC suspended the Felton Kamambo-led ZIFA board.
The SRC axed the Kamambo-led administration for several alleged violations, chief among them failure to account for public funds and sexual harassment of female referees.
Zemura, who plays for Bournemouth in the English Premier Soccer League, said failure to represent Zimbabwe because of the ban is painful. The Herald quoted him as saying:
It’s truly sad, that we haven’t come to a resolution as a country.
My fellow international players have made comments about the ongoing situation (in Zimbabwe) and I just second that and voice the same pain not being able to represent your country is just unbelievably painful.
I hope we can come to fix the issue sooner rather than later.
The 2026 World Cup will be here soon and I’ll be devastated not to be given the chance to attempt to qualify.
Zemura made his international debut almost three years ago in the 2021 AFCON Qualifiers against Algeria.
He then played for Zimbabwe at the AFCON finals in January 2022 a few weeks after recovering from a coronavirus infection.
In early 2022, the FIFA Congress ratified the ban on ZIFA and since then, Zimbabwe has missed several international games that include the 2023 AFCON qualifiers.
The 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign is scheduled to start this year, soon after the 2023 AFCON Qualifiers end and Zimbabwe is likely set to miss the qualifiers if SRC remains intransigent.